Diaper-pants for the use of pad like diapers



May 28, 1957 0. K. ANDRUHOVICI DIAPER-PANTS FOR THE USE OF PAD LIKE DIAPERS Filed Aug. 19, 1955 INVENTOR.

OT K LIA K-- ANDFZUHOVICJ United States Patent DIAPER-PANTS FOR THE USE OF PAD LIKE DIAPERS OttiliaK. Andruhovici, Pevely, M0.

Application August 19, 1955, Serial No. 529,482

1 Claim. (Cl. 128-284) This invention relates-t0 undergarments, and more particularly to an improvement in diapers.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved diaper garment which is simple in .construction, which is comfortable to wear, and which has substantiallyimproved durability as compared with diaper garments heretofore available.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved diaper undergarment which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is easy to place on an infant and to remove therefrom, whenever necessary, and which is arranged to minimize irritation of the infants skin, as well as to protect the infants garments against soiling.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claim, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved diaper garment constructed in accordance with the present invention, shown in an unfolded position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the diaper garment of Figure 1, shown in its wearing position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the waistband of the diaper garment of Figures 1 and 2 and showing the elastic loop element attached thereto.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-section detail view taken on line 55 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the improved diaper garment is designated generally at 11 and comprises a main body of flexible sheet material 12, which may be of either two-ply construction having an inner surface of flexible nonabsorbent sheet material, such as thin rubber-like material, and an outer ply of fabric, or the like, preferably being of unitary laminated construction comprising a nonabsorbent inside layer of sheet plastic material, or the like, and an outer layer of fabric secured thereto. An example of such material is Syntilon Processed Rayon, now commercially available.

As shown in Figure 1, the main body 12 has substantially parallel opposite end margins and is substantially narrower at its intermediate portion than at said margins, whereby the intermediate portion of the main body 12 defines a crotch piece, and whereby respective leg openings are defined along the opposite sides of the diaper garment when the garment is arranged in the manner illustrated in Figure 2.

The nonabsorbent inner surface of the main body 12 is designated at 13, and the fabric outer surface of said main body is designated at 14. Respective waistband hems 15 and 16 are secured on the opposite end margins of the main body 12, said waistband hems being formed of material similar to that employed for the main body 12, and being arranged with the nonabsorbent element thereof facing outwardly, as shown in Figure 3 at 17, the hems being folded in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 3 and being stitched to the end margins of ice the body 12 in any suitable manner, as by the stitching 18. As further shown in Figure 3, 'thehems are of tubular construction and are of substantial width, whereby said hems make sealing contact with the body of the infant wearing the diaper garment, the hems containing a sufficient amount of air and being sufficiently airtight so that said hems tend to remain in an inflated condition, such as that shown in Figure 3, thereby maintaining the aforesaid sealing contact thereof with the infant's body. Preferably, a strip of elastic material, such as elastic rubber 19, is secured in one of the hems, for example, hem 15, to make the hem yieldable, while at the same time causing the waistband defined by the hemstoclosely engage the wearers body.

The pleated hem element 15 is provided at its opposite ends with a pair of male snap fastener elements 20, and the hem member 16 is provided at its opposite endportions with respective sets of three female'snap fastener elements 21 having the same spacingas the male snap fastener elements 20, whereby the end portions may be detachably fastened together in the manner shown in Figure 2 and whereby suflicient adjustability is provided by the selection of pairs of female snap fastener elements 21 engaged by the male snap fastener elements 20 to insure the fitting of the garment on infants of a Wide range of sizes.

Secured centrally in each hem numbers 15 and 16 is a transversely extending rivet 22, and looped around each rivet is the end portion of a respective elastic band 23, such as a rubber band, or the like, the rivet 22 being spaced inwardly of thestitching 18, shown in Figure 3, and the elastic band 23 extending past the stitching and outside the hem inwardly adjacent the non absorbent inner lining 13 of the garments main body 12.

Designated at 24 is an absorbent pad which may comprise a suitable inner mass of absorbent material, such as cellulose cotton material, covered by an envelope of porous tissue paper 25, the absorbent cellulose cotton material being shown at 26' in Figure 4.

The pad 24 is generally rectangular in shape and engaged therearound longitudinally is a band of flexible gauze material 26, the end portions of the band 26 being detachably secured in respective eye-loops 27 formed in the elastic band 23 in the manner illustrated in Figure 4 wherein the end portions of the gauze band 26 is shown at 28. As will be readily apparent from Figure 4, the eyeloop 27 will thus secure the ends of the band 26 and will thus retain the pad 24 in centered position on the main body of the diaper garment. As will be further apparent, the ends 28 of the band 26 may be readily disengaged from the eye-loop 27 whenever it is necessary to replace the pad 24. The gauze band 26 preferably forms part of and are marketed with the pads 24, being thus disposable along with the pads.

The respective edges of the longitudinal sides of the main body 12 are formed with hems 30, as shown in Figure 5, said hems being folded over and stitched, as by longitudinal stitching 31, to provide thickened edges which are sealingly engageable with the wearers skin at the leg openings of the garment, to provide respective seals at said leg openings. The side margins of the main body 12 are further provided with spaced pleats 32 adjacent the rear hem member 15, as shown in Figures 1 a and 2, whereby a better fit is provided and whereby the garment conforms more accurately to the contour of the infants body while maintaining sealing engagement with the infants skin around the leg holes of the garment. With the provision of such sealing contact with the infants leg, the outer fabric surface 14 of the garment body 12, and the infants outer garments are protected against soiling by moisture from the interior of the diaper garment.

When the pad 24 becomes soiled, said pad may be readily removed and disposed of, a new pad being substituted for the soiled pad.

While the diaper garment above described has been illustrated for use by infants and small children, obviously, the garment may be made in any size, and may be made for use by any individuals having need therefor, and by'invalids or other incapacitated individuals, if so desired, within the spirit of the present invention.

' While a specific embodiment of an improved diaper undergarment has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications with in the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in'the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claim,

- What is claimed is: i

A diaper garment comprising a main body of flexible sheet material, said main body having substantially parallel opposite margins and being substantially narrower at its intermediate portion than at said margins, whereby said intermediate portion defines a crotch piece, respective waist band hems on said margins, respective rivets engaged transversely through the intermediate portions flexible nonabsorbent sheet material, said waist band hems being formed with nonabsorbent outer surfaces extending externally over the top edges of the hems to provide sealing contact with the wearers body at said top edges and being substantially tubular in construction, respective elastic bands surrounding said rivets and each having a loop portion projecting from its associated hem adjacent said inner surface of nonabsorbent sheet material, a pad of absorbent material detachably secured at opposite ends to the respective loop portions and extending longitudinally on said first-named nonabsorbent inner surface, and means detachably securing the ends of one of said waist band hems to the ends of the other waist band hems to define respective leg openings along the opposite sides of the diaper garment, and whereby said hems define the waist band of the garment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,091,018 Sivyer Aug. 24, 1937 2,468,445 Hurst Apr. 26, 1949 2,652,057 Siegel et a]. Sept. 15, 1953 

